Protecting RI Seniors Against Scams
There are a number of different scams taking place in Rhode Island this spring. Sadly, some of them are even directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this post, we’ll look at some of the scams being reported in our state, and how we can protect ourselves against falling victim to them.
Gift Card Scams
These scams are growing in popularity; gift cards are a favored form of currency for scammers because they are hard to trace. There are many variations of the gift card scam, but the basic premise is that the victim is convinced to buy gift cards and share the PIN for the purposes of paying a fine, paying a loved one’s bail, assistance in getting out of a sticky situation, or assisting in an investigation of some sort. Once the scammers get their hands on the gift card’s PIN, the victim’s money is gone.
COVID Vaccine Scams
All Rhode Islanders aged 16 and up are now eligible to receive their free COVID vaccine, but some scammers will try to make the victim believe they must provide their Medicare number, social security number or pay a fee to secure an appointment or a spot on a waitlist. These scams aim to steal the victim’s personal information/identify or their money.
Vaccine Survey Prize Scam
A new email and text scam tries to get people to complete a survey about the COVID-19 vaccine, for a chance to win a prize, such as an iPad Pro. Victims divulge personal information and credit card information, ostensibly to pay for the shipping costs of prizes that, of course, never arrive.
Grandparent (Grandchild) Scams
Grandparent scams (also called grandchild scams) involve a scammer posing as a grandchild in trouble in order to trick the grandparent into handing over money. The “grandchild” will say they’re under a gag order or give some other reason why the grandparent shouldn’t contact other family members about it. For years, this scam took place entirely over the phone, with the grandparent being convinced to make a wire transfer or some other form of payment. Now, these fraudsters are getting bolder and are conducting part of the scam in person. After an initial phone call, scammers will send someone right to the victim’s door to pick up cash.
To educate yourself about scams, check out these authoritative resources and upcoming events.
- RI State Police has a guide to Identity Theft, Fraud & Scams.
- AARP Rhode Island is hosting a free webinar on May 6, called The New Currency of Scams: Gift Card Payments. You can register to learn more about gift card scams: how to spot, avoid and report them; getting your money back; and available support resources.
- The Lincoln Police Department is hosting classes on How to Avoid Scams this month. Participants will learn “about elder fraud, including current methods favored by scammers, how to avoid becoming a victim, and what to do if targeted.”
If you think you or a loved one has fallen victim to a scam, the best thing to do is to report it to police as soon as possible. Please remember that you were the victim of a crime; there is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. By sharing your experience, you’ll be helping authorities investigate, and protecting others from being deceived in a similar way.